Senior Manager, Development

Downtown Denver Partnership•Denver, CO

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Development will play a leading role in growing and sustaining the Downtown Denver Partnership’s revenue, with primary responsibility for membership and sponsorship development. This position will own a portfolio of the organization’s highest-value members and sponsors, serving as their primary relationship manager and developing strategies to deepen engagement, demonstrate value, and secure long-term renewals. The Senior Manager will also build and advance a pipeline of prospective members and sponsors, translating the Partnership’s programs, reach, and impact into compelling opportunities for investment. Reporting to the Senior Director of Civic Engagement & Development, this position will operate initially as a senior individual contributor and collaborate closely with the Senior Manager of Civic Engagement, the Civic Engagement & Development Coordinator, senior organizational leaders, and program teams. The successful candidate will bring both a strong customer-service orientation and a demonstrated ability to generate revenue. They will be equally comfortable stewarding an established executive relationship, developing a customized proposal, managing a complex renewal process, opening the door to a new prospective partner, and helping shape broader revenue-development strategies such as grants and philanthropic partnerships.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in account management, business development, sales, fundraising, sponsorship, membership, or a related field.
Demonstrated success retaining and growing high-value accounts while generating new revenue.
Strong sales acumen coupled with exceptional relationship management and customer service skills.
Proven ability to build trust with senior business and community leaders and translate their priorities into mutually beneficial opportunities.
Ability to independently manage a complex portfolio, prioritize competing demands, and advance multiple opportunities simultaneously.
Comfortable leading executive-level meetings, delivering presentations, developing proposals, and navigating negotiations.
Experience contributing to broader revenue growth and diversification strategies, beyond individual transactions.
Strategic and collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence outcomes, improve processes, and support colleagues without formal authority.
Capacity and interest to grow into formal team or portfolio leadership responsibilities.
Excellent communication skills and knowledge of the Denver business, government, civic, or nonprofit landscape, or a strong desire to quickly develop that knowledge.
Interest in city building and economic development, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
Proficiency with Salesforce (or a comparable CRM) and Microsoft 365.

Nice To Haves

Experience in nonprofit development, membership organizations, sponsorship sales, chambers of commerce, economic development, civic organizations, professional services account management, grant development, or institutional fundraising is valued but not required.

Responsibilities

Own a portfolio of high-value members and sponsors, serving as their primary relationship manager throughout the year.
Develop and execute account strategies that deepen engagement, demonstrate value, and support strong renewals.
Lead renewals for major memberships, multi-program sponsorships, and other complex partnerships.
Partner with organizational leaders to prepare for and lead strategic member and sponsor meetings.
Understand each account’s priorities and identify opportunities to expand investment, participation, and executive engagement.
Deliver responsive, thoughtful, and consistently high-quality communication and service throughout the year.
Develop and execute strategies to recruit new members and secure new program and organizational sponsors.
Build and actively manage a qualified pipeline of prospective members, sponsors, and strategic investors.
Lead the full development cycle, from prospecting and discovery through proposal development, negotiation, and closing.
Create customized opportunities that align prospective partners’ goals with the Partnership’s programs, audiences, and impact.
Monitor market trends, cultivate new relationships, and represent the Partnership at business, civic, and community events.
Partner with the Senior Director and organizational leadership to identify opportunities to expand and diversify revenue.
Cultivate philanthropic, foundation, corporate, and other strategic funding relationships, including selected grant opportunities.
Collaborate with program teams to develop compelling sponsorship opportunities aligned with organizational and partner goals.
Coordinate with Finance, Marketing and Communications, and program teams to support contracting, invoicing, fulfillment, recognition, and reporting.
Serve as a senior resource on account strategy, sponsorship development, and partner communication while contributing to a collaborative and accountable team culture.